Double impatiens plant named ‘Balolepurp’

ABSTRACT

A new and district Double  Impatiens  plant named ‘Balolepurp’ characterized by its fully double dark purple-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, compact, upright and mounded growth habit, and good basal branching character.

Latin Name of genus and species of plant claimed: Impatiens walleriana.

Variety denomination: ‘Balolelpurp’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of DoubleImpatiens plant botanically known as Impatiens walleriana andhereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Balolepurp’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program duringApril 2000 at Elburn, Ill. The objective of the breeding program was thedevelopment of new Impatiens cultivars with numerous, fully doubleflowers, excellent basal branching, and upright compact growth habit.

The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar was the proprietaryImpatiens walleriana selection designated 3177-1-1-2, not patented,characterized by its small, single, salmon-colored flowers. The male(pollen) parent of the new cultivar was the proprietary Impatienswalleriana selection designated 12865-2, not patented, characterized byits dark green-colored foliage. The new cultivar was discovered andselected by the inventor as a single flowering plant within the progenyof the stated cross-pollination during September 2001 at Elburn, Ill.Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings sinceSeptember 2001 at West Chicago, Ill., has demonstrated that the newcultivar reproduces true to type with all characteristics, as hereindescribed, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations ofsuch asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedlyobserved and can be used to distinguish ‘Balolepurp’ as a new anddistinct cultivar of Double Impatiens plant:

-   -   1. Fully double purple-colored flowers.    -   2. Medium green-colored foliage.    -   3. A good basal branching character.    -   4. A compact, upright and mounded growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parentprimarily in flower form and color and from the male parent primarily infoliage color.

Of the many commercially available Double Impatiens cultivars known tothe inventor, the most similar to the new cultivar is the Impatienswalleriana variety ‘Balfiepuna’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,611. However, inside-by-side comparisons conducted at West Chicago, Ill., plants of thenew cultivar differed from plants of ‘Balfiepuna’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar are shorter than plants of        ‘Balfiepuna’.    -   2. The leaves of the new cultivar are smaller than the leaves of        ‘Balfiepuna’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typicalflower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in thephotographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detaileddescription, which accurately describe the colors of ‘Balolepurp’. Theplants were grown for 8 weeks in a greenhouse at West Chicago, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habitof ‘Balolepurp’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual flower of‘Balolepurp’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype mayvary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature,light intensity, and day length without, however, any variance inphenotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is theR.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England,2001 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significanceare used. The color values were determined on Jul. 20, 2004 between10:00 and 11:45 a.m. under natural light conditions.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants producedfrom cuttings taken from stock plants and grown in a doublepolycarbonate-covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to thoseused in commercial practice. The plants were grown at West Chicago, Ill.in 10 cm pots for 8 weeks using a soilless growth medium. Greenhousetemperatures were maintained at approximately 65°-75° F. during the dayand approximately 55°-62° F. during the night. Greenhouse light levelswere maintained at approximately 4,000-6,000 footcandles during the day.

-   Botanical classification: Impatiens walleriana cultivar Balolepurp.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female (seed) parent.—Proprietary Impatiens walleriana            selection designated 3177-1-1-2, not patented.        -   Male (pollen) parent.—Proprietary Impatiens walleriana            selection designated 12865-2, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 7-14 days.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 21 days.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Crop time.—Approximately 6-8 weeks from planting of rooted            cutting to finish.        -   Growth habit.—Compact with good basal branching.        -   Form.—Upright and mounded.        -   Size.—Height: Approximately 12.9 cm. Width (area of plant            spread): Approximately 24.9 cm in width (plant spread).        -   Branch.—Quantity: Approximately 3 per plant. Strength:            Strong. Length: Approximately 12 cm. Diameter: Approximately            6.8 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: 144A. Internode length:            Approximately 1.3 cm.        -   Foliage.—Quantity of leaves per branch: Approximately 11.            Fragrance: None. Type: Simple. Arrangement: Alternate.            Aspect: At right angle to stem. Shape: Ovate. Apex:            Cuspidate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Crenate/ciliate.            Venation pattern: Pinnate, arcuate. Size of mature foliage:            Length: Approximately 1.1 cm. Width: Approximately 8.9 mm.            Texture of both surfaces: Glabrous. Color of upper surface            of mature foliage: Darker than 137A, with veins and mid-vein            of 144A. Color of lower surface of mature foliage: Closest            to 138B with veins and mid-vein of 144C. Petiole length:            Approximately 5.5 mm. Petiole diameter: Approximately            0.6 mm. Petiole texture: Both surfaces are glabrous. Petiole            color: 144C.-   Flowering description:    -   -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering under outdoor growing            conditions with substantially continuous blooming from            spring through autumn and year round in greenhouse            environment.        -   Lastingness of individual bloom.—Approximately 7-10 days.        -   Quantity of flowers.—Approximately 28 flowers and 20 buds            per plant at any one time.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower bud rate of opening.—Generally it takes from 3-6 days            for buds to progress from first color to fully open flowers.        -   Mature flower buds (just before opening).—Shape: Elliptic.            Length: Approximately 1.1 cm. Diameter: Approximately 1 cm.            Color: N74D.        -   Flower description.—Type: Fully double. Fragrance: None.            Shape: Spherical. Diameter: Approximately 3.2 cm. Depth:            Approximately 1.3 cm. Borne: Above foliage facing upward or            outward. Flowers are not persistent or fragrant.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Approximately 29. Shape:            Obovate. Margin: Entire. Apex: Retuse. Base: Attenuate.            Texture: Glabrous. Appearance: Iridescent. Size of outermost            petals: Length: Approximately 1.8 cm. Width: 1.6 cm. Size of            innermost petals: Length: 1.2 cm. Width: 1 cm.        -   Flower color.—Upper surface of petals when fully open:            Slightly darker than N74A. Lower surface of petals when            fully open: Closest to N74D. Petal color fading with age to:            83A.        -   Calyx.—Quantity of sepals: Three, with the lower sepal            modified into a spur. Sepal apex: Acuminate. Sepal texture:            Both surfaces are glabrous. Lateral sepal shape: Lanceolate.            Lateral sepal apex: Acute. Lateral sepal length:            Approximately 3 mm. Lateral sepal width: Approximately 1 mm.            Lateral sepal color: Both surfaces are 144C. Lower sepal            shape: Ovate. Lower sepal apex: Acute. Lower sepal base            forms spur. Lower sepal length: Approximately 7 mm. Lower            sepal width: Approximately 7 mm. Lower sepal, color of both            surfaces: 154D with N144D at tip.        -   Spur.—Quantity: One per flower. Length: Approximately            1.1 cm. Diameter at base: Approximately 2 mm. Diameter at            tip: Approximately 1 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: 154D with            overlay of 71B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: Approximately 2 cm. Diameter:            Approximately 0.4 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Strength: Strong.            Angle to stem: Acute. Color: 144C.        -   Reproductive organs.—None observed.-   Seed and fruit development: Neither seed nor fruit production has    been observed.-   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests    common to Impatiens has not been observed.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Double Impatiens plant named‘Balolepurp’, substantially as herein shown and described.